NHL DFS Breakdown (1/30)

Welcome back everyone! NHL DFS is finally back with a 12 game slate tonight. Lock is at 7:00 PM ET/6:00 PM CT. In this article, I will detail my top plays, good plays, and value plays. I will include both Draftkings and FanDuel pricing for your convenience. Here are the 12 matchups tonight and their start times (Eastern Time):

This is a great slate tonight. It is such a big slate with so many great plays and value plays. There will plenty of good options for you to choose from. With a slate this size, I like to make multiple lineups with different stacks throughout them and you may get one lineup that scores super high and one that doesn’t do so well. If you don’t have the bankroll to play multiple lineups, I suggest that you get some exposure from as many of the games that you think will be the highest scoring. My favorite matchups tonight are LA@DAL, OTT@CAR, CHI@NSH, and FLA@NYI. Really I like all the matchups tonight because there could be some high scoring contests. At the end of the article, I will put down my favorite line stacks for the night. Now let’s move into the plays of the day!

CENTERS:

Top Center Plays:

Evgeni Malkin vs San Jose Sharks ($8300 FD/$7200 DK)

Malkin entered the All Star break after a great performance against the Wild, managing 2 goals and 1 assist in the game. He has been on fire for the Penguins lately with 9 goals and 5 assists in just his last 10 games.

Tyler Seguin vs Los Angeles Kings ($7700 FD/$7100 DK)

Seguin is averaging just under 21 min of ice time for the Stars this season and anytime he is on the ice, you never know what’s going to happen. He hasn’t had the best games lately but tonight is a favorable matchup on home ice against the Kings and Darcy Kuemper.

Matthew Barzal vs Florida Panthers ($6300 FD/$6800 DK)

Barzal has 3 goals and 12 assists in his last 10 games and doesn’t show any signs of stopping. He plays hard night in and night out for the Islanders. Sateri is in net for the Panthers tonight so I like NYI stacks tonight.

John Tavares vs Florida Panthers ($8400 FD/$7700 DK)

As I said under Barzal, I am a big fan of the Islanders tonight against the Panthers and Sateri. This team has so much offensive potential and show it all the time, should be a good one for them tonight.

Good Center Plays:

Vincent Trocheck vs New York Islanders ($6700 FD/$6600 DK)

Trocheck has 4 goals and 5 assists in his last 10 games while also adding on 49 Shots on goal. The Islanders even when they win give up multiple goals and Trocheck should find the score sheet tonight for the Panthers.

Patrice Bergeron vs Anaheim Ducks ($8100 FD/$7500 DK)

Bergeron is still without Marchand but that didn’t stop him in his first game without him as he continued his point streak and recorded 2 assists in their win over Ottawa before the All Star break. 9 goals and 8 assists in his last 10 games and I’d be willing to bet he extends his point streak tonight.

Jack Eichel vs New Jersey Devils ($7800 FD/$6900 DK)

Even though the Sabres have been struggling, Eichel has been hot. He has 6 goals and 11 assists in his last 10 games while also adding on 39 shots. Kincaid gets the start for the Devils tonight and that is even more favorable for the Sabres offense.

Value Center Plays:

Erik Haula @ Calgary Flames ($5800 FD/$6000 DK)

I still like stacking Haula in a lineup with Perron and Neal as they have been on fire for the Knights lately. These guys are my favorite plays from the Knights tonight against a hot Mike Smith in Calgary.

Kyle Turris vs Chicago Blackhawks ($4900 FD/$5200 DK)

Turris had a great month of November for the Preds but has struggled lately in the month of January. He has a high upside for his price and I think this is a game he rebounds in.

WINGERS

Top Winger Plays:

Alexander Radulov vs Los Angeles Kings ($7000 FD/$6700 DK)

Radulov..What more is there to say about this guy for the Dallas Stars. Other than thank you to the Montreal Canadiens, I don’t have much to say about him. He is a must play tonight and possibly in a stack with Benn.

Jamie Benn vs Los Angeles Kings ($7900 FD/$7200 DK)

Benn is averaging 4.4 DK points in his last 10 games, managing 4 goals and 6 assists in that span. The Radulov-Benn-Seguin line has been on fire for the Dallas Stars and it’s a great matchup against Kuemper.

Nikita Kucherov @ Winnipeg Jets ($8600 FD/$7600 DK)

A lot of people seem to fade the Lightning players lately because they haven’t been as hot as they were early in the season but I still like Kucherov tonight against the Jets. The Jets have been playing exceptional hockey lately but TB always finds ways to put the puck in the night.

Josh Bailey vs Florida Panthers ($7000 FD/$6800 DK)

Bailey recently missed 4 games with an injury but came back and played like he hadn’t missed a beat. He has found the score sheet in the 3 games since his return and I wouldn’t be surprised if he finds it more than once tonight. NYI 1 is a favorite.

Good Winger Plays:

Anders Lee vs Florida Panthers ($6600 FD/$6500 DK)

It seems like any time I play Lee he kills me but then when I don’t play him, he goes off. As I said before NYI 1 is my favorite line stack tonight against the backup for the Panthers so he makes this article.

Brock Boeser vs Colorado Avalanche ($6700 FD/$6500 DK)

Boeser has played tremendously well for the Canucks and a VAN1 stack might be a sneaky play tonight on home ice against the Colorado Avalanche. Not many would think about playing guys against the Avalanche but it could work out well.

Max Pacioretty @ St. Louis Blues ($7200 FD/$6000 DK)

One of these times I will get the Max Pac play correct and I feel like tonight could be it. The Blues and Carter Hutton have been playing well as of late but so have the Montreal Canadiens offense. This is going to be a good matchup.

Sebastian Aho vs Ottawa Senators ($6700 FD/$5800 DK)

It’s looking like Aho will play tonight against the Senators and that is a huge bump for the Carolina offense. I wouldn’t mind a Carolina stack against the Senators tonight because they aren’t too expensive and you would still have a lot of money left to fill other spots.

Value Winger Plays:

Jeff Skinner vs Ottawa Senators ($5700 FD/$6100 DK)

Skinner is a consistent player for the Hurricanes and isn’t very expensive fantasy wise. Good value play tonight in a home ice matchup against the Senators.

Jack Roslovic vs Tampa Bay Lightning ($3000 FD/$3600 DK)

Roslovic is a sneaky play tonight. He got his first goal last game against the Ducks and he’s only played 8 games but that game was his first on the top line with Patrik Laine and Blake Wheeler. Not to mention, he is also on the top power play unit and is the cheapest option in this 12 game slate.

DEFENSEMEN

Top Defenseman Plays:

PK Subban vs Chicago Blackhawks ($5800 FD/$5500 DK)

Subban has played extremely well this season for the Preds and even earned a spot in the All Star game. I look for him to have a great game against the Blackhawks tonight and he isn’t very expensive either.

Roman Josi vs Chicago Blackhawks ($6200 FD/$6400 DK)

Josi is another defenseman I like tonight against the Blackhawks and if I’m being honest I would choose Josi in my lineup over Subban but I don’t think you can go wrong playing either of them.

John Klingberg vs Los Angeles Kings ($6800 FD/$6000 DK)

Klingberg has been on a roll, managing a goal and 12 assists in his last 10 games. He is averaging 4.4 DK points in that span as well. He will find the score sheet at least once tonight against the Kings. I like playing him in a line with Benn and Radulov as well.

Good Defenseman Plays:

Alex Pietrangelo vs Montreal Canadiens ($6100 FD/$6600 DK)

Pietrangelo won the passing challenge at the NHL Skills Competition and its really no surprise. He has 27 assists on the season and 6 in his last 10 games. Great fantasy defenseman and especially against the Canadiens.

Keith Yandle vs New York Islanders ($4700 FD/$4400 DK)

Yandle records the highest ice time for the Panthers night in and night out. He consistently provides the numbers that fantasy owners look for when choosing a cheaper defenseman. Not very expensive either so you can pay higher for more offensive power.

Nick Leddy vs Florida Panthers ($5300 FD/$5400 DK)

Nick Leddy is on the first defensive rotation and he wouldn’t be a bad play to put in your lineup with Tavares, Lee, or Bailey tonight against the Florida Panthers.

Value Defenseman Plays:

Noah Hanifin vs Ottawa Senators ($3700 FD/$3400 DK)

Hanifin is one of these defenseman who kind of slides under the radar when it comes to NHL DFS. He is cheap and might be a good play tonight against the Senators. Not to mention he is also very cheap!

Vince Dunn vs Colorado Avalanche ($3700 FD/$3500 DK)

Dunn is a very cheap option tonight at defenseman and If you are looking to pay up higher for offensive elites, Dunn wouldn’t be too bad of an option to put in to make that possible.

GOALIES

Top Goalie Plays:

Cam Ward vs Ottawa Senators ($7400 FD/$7500 DK)

Ward struggled in his last start against the Canadiens but was still able to get the win as his team scored 6 goals. I look for him to rebound from that shaky start and get a good solid win tonight against the Senators. *Cheap goalie tonight too*

Ben Bishop vs Los Angeles Kings ($9400 FD/$8300 DK)

The Kings have struggled lately, losing 7 of their last 9 contests. Bishop hasn’t been the best in his last 10 starts but he should fare well tonight against the Los Angeles Kings. My recommendation though is that you go with a cheaper goalie tonight like Cam Ward and pay up for offensive elites.

Good Goalie Plays:

Carter Hutton vs Montreal Canadiens ($8600 FD/$8200 DK)

Hutton has played great in his last 9 starts, managing a 7-1-1 record with a 1.85 GAA average and a .937 save percentage. The Canadiens have been playing better lately and have seemed to figured out how to score, but I still like Huttons chances tonight.

Value Goalie Plays:

Juuse Saros (GPP) vs Chicago Blackhawks ($8100 FD/8000 DK)

Saros is 5-0-4 in his last 9 starts with a 1.77 GAA average and a .948 save percentage. Those are both really good numbers, it just seems his team can’t help him out in OT as they have lost 4 games in OT. I say he is a GPP play only because you never know which Blackhawks team is going to show up. It could be the Blackhawks team who scores 6 or the team that comes out and plays terrible, scoring no goals.

Matt Murray (GPP) vs San Jose Sharks ($7900 FD/$7900 DK)

Murray hasn’t played since January 8th, so he should be all rested up and ready to go tonight on home ice against the San Jose Sharks. He is strictly a GPP only play because Murray has had his fair share of bad performances this season but he has also shined in some. Matchup is not ideal but he will be a low owned goalie and he always has that shutout potential.

My Favorite GPP Stacks Tonight:

NYI 1

Tavares-Bailey-Lee-Leddy

DAL 1

Seguin-Benn-Radulov-Klingberg

CAR 1

Aho-Staal-Lindholm-Slavin

Cheaper GPP stacks:

NYI 2

Barzal-Eberle-Beauvillier

CAR 3

Skinner-Ryan-Stempniak-Hanifin

FLA 2

Trocheck-Huberdeau-Malgin

These are just some of the top stacks tonight for this 12 game slate. I included the defenseman on some of themjust so you could mix and match if you wanted to pick 2 or 3 out of the 4.

This article is meant to help you put together your lineup for the slate. If this helps you out tonight please post your winnings on twitter and tag me @DFSDevotee and @FanCaveDFSThanks for reading and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me on twitter!